Achieve table cell effect with floated divs - html

Question

If I try to apply min-width, max-width to a floating div so that it expands to max-width when the right content is hidden does not work.
But, if I use table and 2 tds in it, the left td will expand to 100% if the right td is hidden.
Can I achieve this table effect with floated divs?

Answer 1

I don't think you can do what you are asking, but you can make it look like what you are asking.
Make it into two tds and put a max-width on a div inside the td. Would that work?

Answer 2

This isn't going to work with floats. Luckily we now have more tools at our disposal.
Here are two very simple methods to expand a div to 100% of the available width if a sibling horizontally to it is hidden or removed.
#1 – Using display: flex
Compatibility: Edge and all modern browsers. IE 10 and 11 support the non-standard -ms-flexbox.
The Basic Markup
<div class="container">
<div>
First Column
</div>
<div>
This second column can be hidden or not exist and the first column will take up its space
</div>
</div>
The CSS
The container div is given display: flex.
The containers children are give flex: 1 and they will be assigned equal width, can grow and can shrink.
.container {
width: 500px;
display: flex;
}
.container>div {
flex: 1;
background: #FF6961;
height: 200px;
margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.container>div:nth-child(even) {
background: #006961;
}
<div class="container">
<div>
Content
</div>
<div>
Content
</div>
</div>
<div class="container">
<div>
Content takes up the whole width when other divs are hidden.
</div>
<div style="display: none">
Content
</div>
</div>
<div class="container">
<div>
Content takes up the whole width when there is no other div.
</div>
</div>
Read this guide to flexbox
Read more about flexbox on the MDN
#2 – Using display: table
Compatibility: IE8+ and all modern browsers
The Basic Markup
<div class="container">
<div>
First Column
</div>
<div>
This second column can be hidden or not exist and the first column will take up its space
</div>
</div>
The CSS
The container is given display: table
The containers children are given display: table-cell and will act the same as cells in an HTML table. If a cell is hidden or is removed the other cell will take its space.
.container{
display: table;
width: 600px;
margin: 20px;
}
.container>div {
display: table-cell;
height: 200px;
background: #FF6961;
}
.container>div:nth-child(even) {
background: #006961;
}
<div class="container">
<div>
Content
</div>
<div>
Content
</div>
</div>
<div class="container">
<div>
Content takes up the whole width when other divs are hidden.
</div>
<div style="display: none">
Content
</div>
</div>
<div class="container">
<div>
Content takes up the whole width when there is no other div.
</div>
</div>
<div class="container">
<div>
Content takes up the remaining width if a cell has a fixed width.
</div>
<div style="width: 200px">
Content
</div>
</div>
Read more about CSS tables on the MDN